The UK government acted “lawfully” when it approved plans for London Gatwick’s expansion, according to a crucial High Court ruling.
Gatwick’s wants to convert its northern runway, which is currently used only for taxiing aircraft, into a fully operational runway to increase capacity. The £2.2 billion project was formally approved by UK transport secretary Heidi Alexander in September 2025.
Campaign groups Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) and Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE) launched a legal challenge to the government’s decision, arguing that the impact of Gatwick’s second runway had not been properly assessed before approval was granted.
But High Court Judge Mr Justice Mould dismissed the case brought by the groups in a ruling on Tuesday (23 June) after finding that the government’s actions when assessing emissions from Gatwick’s second runway had been "lawful and reasonable". A four-day hearing into the case had been held in January.
A Gatwick spokesperson said: “We are pleased with today’s High Court ruling to uphold the government’s careful decision to grant planning approval for our Northern Runway Project.
“Our exciting plans will deliver significant business, tourism and trade benefits for the UK, including 14,000 new jobs and a £1 billion boost to the economy every year.
“This is a victory for common sense. We now look forward to turning our plans into reality and will announce further details in due course.”
CAGNE said in a statement that it was “obviously disappointed” by the High Court decision.
The group added: “CAGNE will not accept this ruling as the final word. Our legal team will now consider an appeal, and we will continue to stand up for the communities who will be forced to live with the consequences of this expansion.”
GACC also said it was “looking to appeal this decision” in a statement.
Under UK law, the groups have seven days to launch an appeal against the decision. If they do, the case will be heard by the UK’s Court of Appeal.